Get Involved

We need your support to reach out to local communities and tell people that when cancer is picked up earlier, treatment is more likely to be successful.

We need your help to reach people who might not see the campaign or understand the message.

What activities are taking place and when?

Adverts will appear on ITV Wales and S4C, on Wales' radio stations, in local papers and online, and on buses. Community awareness raising campaigns are also taking place and pharmacies across Wales are promoting the
campaign with posters and leaflets.

How can you help people in your community?

You have a vital role to play. People can put off getting symptoms checked out for lots of different reasons. They might worry about wasting the GP's time. Or, if they think it could be cancer, may be frightened of finding out or scared of treatment.

We know that people often take advice from friends, family and people they trust when deciding if symptoms are serious enough to see their doctor. By talking to people in your community you can help them understand the main messages and overcome any concerns.

Things you can do:

1 Download the campaign poster and put up in your local shops, hairdressers or other places you visit.

2 Make it part of your day to day conversations. Talking about the campaign may prompt someone to make an appointment or open up about a symptom they've been hiding or didn't think was serious. We need
to encourage people to talk openly about cancer.

3 Encourage people to see their doctor If people
are worried about possible symptoms, we know they often just need a nudge from family, friends or those around them to persuade them to tell their doctor.

You don't need a medical background to give advice

You can:

Explain that it's best to get symptoms checked out - the chances are it's nothing serious, but it may still need treating. But if it is cancer, finding it sooner and getting treated can make a real difference.

Reassure them that the doctor or nurse wants to hear about their concerns. They're not wasting anyone's time.

Some people might need help to make an appointment or like someone to go with them if it's appropriate.

Help people feel more confident about speaking to their doctor by offering to run through what they will say during the appointment. Suggest they underline their symptoms on the Be Clear on Cancer lung cancer leaflet and take it with them to see their doctor.

Reassure people that their doctor will want to know if their symptoms haven't gone away, have changed, or got worse, even if they have seen the doctor already. Explain that it's important they go back and see their doctor again.

Ask people to come back and tell you how they got on. This gives you the chance to give them a nudge if they haven't done anything about their symptoms the next time you see them.

Remember, this campaign isn't about changing lifestyle but to encourage people to see their GP if they have symptoms.

Talking about cancer can be difficult

Here are some tips:
A nurse, who specialises in talking about cancer, advises: "It is important to feel confident and to try to make cancer a normal part of conversation - you don't need the answers, talking about it is the most important part. Find phrases that you are comfortable with and practise using them.

"You could start by talking about the campaign and ask if they have seen the TV advert. Someone might have stopped noticing their cough, especially if they've had it for a few weeks, or think it's not worth getting it checked out. If you are concerned about someone or they mention a symptom that they're worried about, why not ask them: 'Do you think it might be a good idea to tell your doctor?' ?"